Systems and Methods for the Self-Checkout of Secured Items from a Lending Establishment

1. A system for self-checkout of secured items from a lender comprising: a first scanning mechanism for reading a patron's identification card, where the first scanning mechanism is connected to a first database which contains the previously stored patron's status for checkout of secured items; a first processor for authenticating a patron's identification card by comparing the information stored on the identification card when the previously stored patron's status to determine eligibility to checkout a secured item; a second scanning mechanism for receiving information about a scanned item; a second database containing previously stored information identifying certain items as secured items; a second processor for determining whether the scanned item is contained in a secure locked case based at least in part on information previously stored in the second database and associated with the scanned item; an unlocking mechanism for unlocking a secure locked case from a secured item, wherein access is denied to the unlocking mechanism unless the secured item is determined to be contained in a secure locked case by the second processor and the patron has been authenticated; and a blocking mechanism to prevent use of the unlocking mechanism, wherein the blocking mechanism comprises at least one retractable member to prevent access to the unlocking mechanism to prevent secured item from being inserted into unlocking mechanism, and wherein the blocking mechanism is released to allow insertion of the secure item into the unlocking mechanism only after a secured item has been approved for checkout.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the secured item is one of a videocassette, digital video disc, compact disc, or software.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the patron's identification card is a card issued by a library at which the patron is checking out secured items.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second scanning mechanism is a barcode reader.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second scanning mechanism is an RF tag reader.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism consists of retractable metal members that prevent access to the unlocking mechanism until retracted.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining container for the patron to deposit the secure locked outer case or locking pin or clip after the unlocking of said secure locked case.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the secure locked case is locked through the use of one of the group consisting of: one or more clips, one or more pins, or one or more integrated locks.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the secure locked case replaces the original outer packaging of the secured item.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display for displaying instructions to the patron indicating how to insert the secured item into the unlocking mechanism and unlocking the secure locked case from the item and how to deposit the secure locked outer case or locking pin or clip into the retaining container after removal from the secured item.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising speakers for providing instructions to the patron indicating how to insert the secured item into the unlocking mechanism and unlocking the secure locked case from the item and how to deposit the secure locked case into the retaining container after removal from the secured item.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a printer for printing a receipt indicating the items checked out by the patron.

13. The system of claim 1 , where the patron's identification card is one of the group consisting of: a magnetic stripe card, a smart card, or a card with an integrated RFID tag.

14. The system of claim 1 , where the second scanning mechanism element and the first scanning mechanism element are the same.

15. The system of claim 1 , where the second database contains previously stored information identifying certain items as secured items and contains files for each uniquely identified item, each file containing data fields including a field that indicates whether or not the item is stored in a secure locked ease.

16. A method for self-checkout of secured items from a lender comprising the steps of: locking an item in a secure locked case; authenticating a patron's identification card by scanning the identification card on a scanning mechanism and confirming that the patron is allowed to checkout secured items by comparing the information stored on the identification card with the previously stored patron's status; if patron is authenticated, displaying instructions instructing the patron to scan an item over a second scanning mechanism; scanning the item over the second scanning mechanism; determining whether the scanned item is contained in a secure locked case based at least in part on previously stored information identifing certain items as secured items; blocking access to an unlocking mechanism with a blocking mechanism comprising at Least one retractable member positioned to prevent the use of the unlocking mechanism if the item is determined to be contained in a secure locked case until after secured item has been approved for checkout and the patron has been authenticated; actuating the blocking mechanism to allow access to the unlocking mechanism; inserting the secured item into the unlocking mechanism; unlocking the secure locked case with the unlocking mechanism so that the secure locked ease may be removed from the item; securing a blocking mechanism upon removal of the secure locked case from the unlocking mechanism.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the secured item is one of a videocassette, digital video disc, compact disc, or software.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the patron's identification card is a card issued by a library at which the patron is checking out secured items.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second scanning mechanism is a barcode reader.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second scanning mechanism is a RFID tag reader.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the secure locked case is locked through the use of one of the group consisting of: one or more clips, one or more pins, or one or more integrated locks.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the secure locked outer case replaces the original outer packaging of the secured item.

23. The method of claim 16 , where the patron's identification card is one of the group consisting of: a magnetic stripe card, a smart card, or a card with an integrated REID tag.

24. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of depositing the secure outer case, locking pin or clip into an attached retaining container after the unlocking of said secure outer case, locking clip or pin from the secured item.

25. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of displaying instructions to the patron indicating how to insert the secured item into the unlocking mechanism and unlocking the secure locked case from the item and how to deposit the secure locked case, locking clip or pin into the retaining container after removal from the secured item.

26. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining comprises comparing the scanned item information to stored database information, wherein database contains files for each uniquely identified item, each file containing data fields for relevant inventory data and a field which indicates whether or not the item is stored in a secure locked case.

27. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining comprises reading the information stored on the scanned item's RFID tag attached to the secure locked case, wherein the RFID tag's security bit is initially active at the time that the patron selects the secured item for check out, but if the patron has been determined as eligible to checkout secured item, and if the secured item is approved for checkout, the security bit in the RFID tag is deactivated when a patron scans the secured item across the RFID scanning mechanism and the blocking mechanism will be released to allow the patron to insert the secure item into the unlocking mechanism for removal of the secure locked case.

28. A system for self-checkout of secured items from a lender comprising: a first scanning mechanism for reading a patron's identification card, where the first scanning mechanism is connected to a database which contains the previously stored patron's status for checkout of secured items; a first processor for authenticating a patron's identification card by comparing the information stored on the identification card with the previously stored patron's status to determine eligibility to checkout a secured item; a second scanning mechanism for receiving information about a scanned item, wherein the information includes at least one security bit and item identification; an RF identification tag attached to the secured item containing at least information identifying the item and a security bit identifying the item as a secured item; a second processor for determining whether the scanned item is contained in a secure locked case based at least in part on information previously stored in the second database and associated with the scanned item; a second processor for determining whether the scanned item is contained in a secure locked case by comparing information received from the second scanning mechanism to information stored on the RF identification tag; an unlocking mechanism for unlocking a secure locked case from a secured item, wherein access is denied to the unlocking mechanism unless the secured item is determined to be contained in a secure locked case by the second processor and the patron has been authenticated; and a blocking mechanism to prevent use of the unlocking mechanism, wherein the blocking mechanism comprises at least one retractable member to prevent access to the unlocking mechanism to prevent secured item from being inserted into unlocking mechanism, and wherein the blocking mechanism is released to allow insertion of the secure item into the unlocking mechanism only after a secured item has been approved for checkout.

29. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a security light which is activated if a patron attempts to unlock a secure locked case where the security bit has not been deactivated.

30. The system of claim 28 , wherein the secure locked case is locked through the use of one of the group consisting of: one or more clips, one or more pins, or one or more integrated locks.

31. The system of claim 28 , wherein the first and second scanning mechanisms are remotely located from one another.

32. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a retaining container for the patron to deposit the secure locked case after the unlocking of said secure locked case from the secured item.

33. The system of claim 28 , wherein the secure locked outer case replaces the original outer packaging of the secured item.

34. The system of claim 28 , where the patron's identification card is one of the group consisting of: a magnetic stripe card, a smart card, or a card with an integrated RFID tag.

35. The method of claim 28 , further comprising the second processor determining whether the scanned item is contained in a secure locked case by comparing information received from the second scanning mechanism to information stored on the RF identification tag, wherein the RFID tag's security bit is initially active at the time that the patron selects the secured item for check out, but if the patron has been determined as eligible to checkout secured item, and if the secured item is approved for checkout, the security bit in the RFID tag is deactivated when a patron scans the secured item across the RFID scanning mechanism and the blocking mechanism will be released to allow the patron to insert the secure item into the unlocking mechanism for removal of the secure locked case.